Thirteen
by ClockworkOwl13
Summary: Thirteen is a special number. Sarah Williams knows it. She ran the labyrinth for thirteen hours and only thirteen years later her past shows up on her doorstep. Sarah is soon dragged into a war of deceit and lies and must face the person who should be her greatest adversary. The Goblin King. Only nothing is what it seems in the Underground.
1. Chapter 1

"You can't be serious."

Twenty eight year old Sarah Williams dubbed those four words her catchphrase of the day. Honestly, she'd said them so much they might as well have been the only words she said the entire week.

"You're crazy."

The dead of the night was not her ideal time for a conversation. Sarah was always grumpy if she was woken up at night; being woken up by rain pouring through her window had made her even more irritable. She had actually been having a good nights sleep for the first time in thirteen years and now that the rest was stolen from her she was rather angry. Not to mention the unknown child dripping water on her carpet that had just came in through her window.

"I am not crazy." The young blonde haired Fae girl retorted hotly. "You're the one who wished your baby brother away."

The girl looked about thirteen, with a heart-shaped face, a white blondish mane of hair, and icy blue eyes. She was tall and willowy, looking rather strong for a barely teen girl. Though her eyes blazed with fire, she was shivering in her wet clothes and her lips were blue. The girl stood near the center of the bedroom, looking oddly regal with her head held high. Sarah bit back her snarky reply with difficulty; the Fae girl didn't know anything about her run or about her for any matter. Who was she to criticize when she likely to catch pneumonia with how wet she was and how she was shivering?

"Can't get one night of sleep," Sarah grumbled as she swung her legs over the side of her bed. "Without being interrupted by every creature above and below."

"Oh, please." Scoffed the girl. "Stop being such a drama queen. You've had good nights of sleep for years."

"Actually, I haven't." Sarah snapped irritably as she stood. "And I wouldn't be speaking that way to the person who's getting me dry clothes."

Striding past the wet girl, Sarah opened the door to her closet and flipped on the light switch.

"I don't need those." The girl shot at her, turning away from the closet. "I don't wear above grounder clothes."

"Well, it's either my clothes or pneumonia. And you're not getting pneumonia in my house." Sarah snapped.

Shuffling through the cardboard boxes of old clothes, Sarah pulled out a pair of plaid pajama pants and a top. The girl remained silent.

"These should fit." Sarah tossed the clothes at the girl, who was still standing in the center of the room. Her straight legged position suddenly struck Sarah as odd, and she caught sight of a small figure peering at her from behind the girl's leg.

"Hiding a stowaway?" Sarah quipped.

"He's my brother." A note of protectiveness crept into her tone and she shifted slightly to hide him from Sarah.

Sarah sighed; no girl should be this distrustful. She mentally cursed the Fae repeatedly.

"I won't hurt him." Sarah held her hands up, palms facing the girl. "I need to get him some clothes before he gets a cold. I swear that I won't hurt either of you."

The girl eyed Sarah. "Promise?" She questioned doubtfully.

"Promise." Sarah said with conviction.

The girl moved her brother in front of her and Sarah was finally able to see him. He was small, maybe seven or six. He had a shock of blonde hair like his sister, and he had one arctic blue eye and one brown. His facial features were regal, surprisingly chiseled for a little boy. His thinness struck Sarah and she felt a flare of anger. Were the Fae not feeding their children now? She noticed a fading purple bruise on his cheek and her lips thinned into a line.

"I'll find him clothes. Get dressed and meet me downstairs in the living room." Sarah told the girl softly, barely containing her rage.

She hated that human children were abused and mistreated. Sarah had often volunteered at the food pantry and had seen one too many dull eyed, starving children. The knowledge that the Fae did the same to their children set her on fire.

Sarah hurried from her bedroom, going into Toby's and grabbing a set of old pajamas before the fifteen year old woke. She gave them to the girl, who gave her a brief grateful smile.

"Williams family meeting!" Sarah hollered as she turned on the hallway light and headed downstairs.

This was about to get interesting.

Sarah had once been in the midst of a goblin battle with a fox knight, a hairy rock caller, and a dwarf. She had been fired at by missiles, chased by chickens, pursued into a house too small for one of her companions, and threatened with death by weapon carrying goblins. The goblin battle seemed like nothing compared to what was happening in the living room.

Robert and Linda were having a yelling match that Sarah was pretty sure didn't even pertain to the situation. Toby was trying to catch Sophie, their six-year-old sister, and this involved climbing over couches, tripping over cords, and jumping over a resting Merlin. Karen was trying to stop Robert and Linda, which resulted in her screaming at the top of her lungs to be heard. Sarah was sitting on the coach next to the boy and girl.

"What are your names?" Sarah asked casually, like this was completely normal.

"Ellie and Jarred." The girl replied as she watched the Williams in all their fighting glory. Jarred had pressed himself close into her side and was watching the action with wide eyes.

Sarah sighed. "Sophie." She called, beckoning the young brown-haired girl to her side. "Can you go stop the fight for me?" Sarah smiled at the bright gleam in Sophie's blue eyes. "You know what to do."

An exhausted, red-faced Toby collapsed on the floor as Sophie scampered between the three adults. Sophie looked to Sarah so much that her admiration was almost comical and, due to this, she did practically anything that Sarah asked.

"You might want to cover your ears." Sarah warned, sticking her fingers into her own. Jarred and Ellie out their hands over their ears and not a moment too soon, for a second later Sophie let out a piercing scream.

Karen, Linda, and Robert became silent at once, concerning themselves over the wailing child. Sophie grinned at Sarah and skipped over to the coach as soon as she was done. For a moment, silence reigned as everyone caught their breath.

"Now that the neighbors think that we're all getting killed, can we put away our egos and talk like a civilized family?" Sarah drawled. "If you haven't noticed, we've got company."

"Who are they?" Linda asked, having recovered first. She eyed the children suspiciously. "They're Fae."

Linda had just arrived at the Williams home for a family Thanksgiving that she had only been invited to by Sarah pleading with Robert and Karen. She had come from her kingdom in the Underground, the Elf kingdom. In a strange turn of events, Linda had revealed herself as the Elf Queen nearly ten years ago on Sarah's eighteenth birthday. Linda and Sarah's relationship had grown stronger now that her disappearance had been explained, though Sarah affectionately called Karen 'mom'. Robert still hated Linda with a passion for walking out on them under the pretenses of becoming an actress and keeping the truth hidden.

"This," Sarah gestured at the two, "is Ellie and Jared. They appeared-"

"Transported." Ellie interrupted proudly.

"Transported," Sarah rolled her eyes, and continued. "Into my room and demanded that I shelter them."

Ellie didn't interrupt this time, she just sat quietly and stared at everyone in the room. Outside, rain pounded off the roof of the house and lightning flashed. Jarred was looking at Merlin with wonder in his eyes.

"Why do you have a monster in your house?" He asked, speaking for the first time.

Sarah glanced at Merlin and chuckled. "That's not a monster. That's my dog, Merlin. Don't worry, he wouldn't even hurt a fly."

"What are two Fae doing in my house?" Robert inquired irritably.

"Three." Linda spat.

"And a half." Sarah added, glaring dangerously at her parents. She was a hybrid, half human and half Fae, but that only made her more powerful.

"So who," Robert eyed Ellie and Jarred, "are they?"

"Will you tell us?" Sarah asked kindly.

A mischievous twinkle in Ellie's eye caught her attention. "But it's so much more fun if you guess, isn't it?" She drawled with a smirk.

Sarah snorted, shaking her head. If she didn't know any better, she would've thought that Ellie and Jarred were His kids. The mismatched eyes that Jared had, the blonde hair, the way they both spoke. Ice suddenly ran in her veins as a thought struck her at the same moment the idea struck Linda.

She gasped. "Gods and goddesses help us. You're the Goblin King's children."

Ellie's smirk disappeared immediately and she looked away for a second. Her displeasure displayed clearly on her face. Thunder boomed loudly, nearly shaking the house. Sarah felt sick to her stomach.

Toby pushed himself off the floor, his incredibility so visible that his expression could have been laughable in another situation. "Please tell me that there's more than one Goblin King." He begged.

"You? You!" Sarah exclaimed. "You can't be serious. You're father is going to kill me!"

"No he won't." Ellie fired back. "He doesn't even know where we are."

"You ran away?" Karen asked, looking horrified.

"Yes." Ellie answered casually. "We tried to warn our father, but he was too busy with our mother. He wouldn't listen and we couldn't take it anymore."

"Take what anymore?" Toby asked curiously.

"You were getting abused. Weren't you?" Sarah concluded sadly. "That's why you ran away."

Ellie didn't answer, but her jaw tightened in response. Forgetting her momentary fear, Sarah looked at the brother and sister with sympathetic eyes. Jarred, however, looked at Sarah boldly and straightened from his slouch against his sister.

"Our mommy is mean. She doesn't tell us stories like daddy does. She yells at us a lot. Daddy doesn't see her hit us." Jarred looked at her with fear filled eyes. "You'll protect us, right?"

Sarah stared at the guarded Ellie and little Jarred; they were too young. She bit her lip, she had already made up her mind. She wasn't just going to send them back to the Underground. She couldn't even if she was forced to, the action simply wasn't part of Sarah's nature.

"Sarah," Linda said. "I know that look. Our best choice is to return them as soon as possible."

"No, it isn't. Our best choice is to protect Ellie and Jared. They need my help and I'm not turning them down." Sarah said with determination gleaming in her emerald eyes.

"We will help them Sarah." Karen assured her.

"How are we supposed to do that?" Robert asked, conceding to the power of his wife and daughter.

"Well," Sarah began. We're going to need protective wards, first of all."

Down below the Williams feet, an infuriated Goblin King stormed through his castle. His boots clicked off the stone floor with the promise of danger for any who came in his way and all the goblins scurried out of his path.

Pushing open a pair of heavy mahogany doors with enough power to snap them off their hinges, the Goblin King charged into a large bedchamber. The furniture was fit for royalty and a beautiful black haired Fae woman was seated in front of a large mirror. She was applying lipstick to her already painted lips. She was pale, with a heart-shaped face, a willowy figure, and shocking purple eyes.

"Where are they?" He snarled.

"Where is who, my king?" The woman turned to him, voice soft as silk.

"The children, Aleera!" He bellowed. "Where," he growled, "are the children?"

"Jareth, darling, calm yourself." Aleera said. "The children retired to their rooms after dinner. Poor things. They spent the entire day playing with the goblins. They're probably already sound asleep."

"Well, unless they've figured out how to turn invisible. I don't see how that's possible." Jareth replied, voice deadly calm.

Aleera's unnatural purple eyes dimmed in their happiness. "You-you mean they're gone?" She stuttered.

"Yes." Jareth growled, turning away from her and pacing the length of the chamber. "Their rooms are empty and no one has seen them since dinner."

"Oh, Jareth," Aleera cried, tears already streaming down her face. "What are we going to do?"

Jareth finished his pacing and came to the window sill, gripping the edge with glove clad hands. His breathing was coming out in angered pants and his body was shaking from the strain of not lashing out at any object he could reach.

"Sound the alarms. Gather the guards and sent out search parties," then with a growl he said, "my queen." With a look at the brightening sky, he added. "I will search in the air."

With those words, Jareth threw himself out if the window and morphed into an owl before he could hit the ground. He pumped his wings powerfully as he soared over the large labyrinth. He would find his children, he swore to himself, even if the task killed him.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own the Labyrinth or the Labyrinth characters.

Authors Note: Hello, this is my first fanfiction, so I'm getting into the groove of things. Constructive Criticism is welcomed.

* * *

Underground:

"Think about this rationally, Jareth. You can't just declare war on other kingdoms without knowing they have your children."

"Yes, but it would narrow down the places I must search." Jareth pointed out, his arms crossed over his chest. He was dressed in the black armor that he wore when people wished children to him.

Nadia glared at her eldest son with enough power to turn him into dust if looks could kill. Her blonde hair was piled into an intricate up do and her sharp features were more pronounced than usual. The markings above her eyes were dark green, showing her status as Queen of the Fae. She bared her sharp canines in an imitation of a fierce predator. Nadia's chocolate-brown eyes glinted dangerously at Jareth. She was dressed differently; in a silken white dress that pooled at her feet, she resembled a Greek goddess.

The throne room of the Fae kingdom contrasted greatly to the one of the Goblin kingdom. The massive chamber was made of polished white marble. Two high-backed thrones sat near the end of the room. No guards manned the large door, leaving Jareth and Nadia alone.

"It spells chaos. You will not start a war over something like this." Nadia said coldly, her voice clear as water.

Jareth struggled to keep his composure. "And what is this? My children-your grandchildren-are missing."

"I am aware of this from your constant nagging." Nadia replied.

Jareth clenched his hands into fists behind his back; his patience failing. "I am here to," he swallowed, "plead my case. I want the help of your soldiers to find my children before my enemies find them." He didn't like to be in the weaker position of a deal, but sometimes pride had to be put away to achieve the goal.

"The Elf and Ogre Kingdoms?" Nadia asked, raising an elegant eyebrow.

Jareth didn't answer.

The Ogre kingdom had been against the Goblin kingdom for ages, far before Jareth had taken rule. Details had been lost over the years, yet the rivalry had remained. The Elf kingdom didn't really have a reason; almost eleven years ago the queen had declared them adversaries out of the blue. Few rumors had surfaced, but they had all turned out to be untrue.

"I will," Nadia said, "speak with your father about the matter. Our army shall be sent out as soon as possible."

Jareth bowed, grinding his teeth. "Thank you, mother." He ground out, before turning and striding toward the door.

"And Jareth?" Nadia called. "If we can not find them in the Underground-"

"Are you saying they got through the borders without my knowledge?" Jareth interrupted, his voice almost shaking from repressed anger and desperation.

Nadia gave him a sharp look before continuing. "If they aren't in the Underground, then our only hope is to call on the Champion of the Labyrinth."

Jareth bared his teeth savagely. "Do not speak of her." He snarled. "I can find my children without her help." With that, he vanished from the room.

Aboveground:

To say that Sarah was tired would have been an understatement; she was utterly exhausted. Collapsing on her unmade bed with a groan, Sarah closed her eyes. The sun was peeking through her curtains, signaling the start of the day. Honestly, Sarah didn't care; she wanted to sleep.

Downstairs, Karen(who'd had at least five cups of coffee) was making everyone breakfast, which truly wasn't going to be needed. Robert, Toby, and Sophie had already retired to their rooms. Linda, who had sent Sarah to bed, was still weaving the intricate protective wards. The wards were one of the most difficult spells that Sarah had ever accomplished and took a considerable amount of energy. Sarah had cast spells before, but they had always been relatively small.

Her life had never been this hectic. Well, before her run in the labyrinth her life had never been so chaotic. After the excitement was gone and she had learned of Linda's true identity, her life had went down a couple notches. She had graduated, got a job in town as a costume designer for a local theater, got her own house, and had happily been spending her days with her family. However, she now had two children stowed away in her childhood home. Life was about to get a lot more interesting for Sarah Williams.

However, Sarah didn't bother to think about the last few years. Right now, she was ready to sleep. She had just begun to slip into slumber when the doorbell rang throughout the house. Sarah moaned, nuzzling further into her pillow. She wasn't getting up, no exceptions.

"Sarah, someone from work is here!" Karen called up the stairs. Well, only one exception.

Dragging herself off her bed, Sarah trudged down the steps. She only managed to put a bright, awake expression on her face when she reached the door. A small, bright-looking young woman in a black dress suit was standing on the porch steps. Her dark hair was pulled into a formal-looking bun and her grey eyes glinted darkly from behind her black glasses. Compared to the neat woman before her, Sarah could only imagine how she looked while still in her pajamas, with no makeup, and un-brushed hair.

Sarah's frowned for a moment before plastering the bright expression back on her face. Her job payed well, but the playhouse was small and Sarah couldn't think of anyone who wore a suit. She didn't recognize the girl on the porch and she knew practically everyone at work.

"Can I help you?" Sarah asked, no hint of tiredness entering her tone. She was surrounded by actors most of the time and had even been instructed by a few in the past.

"I," the woman chirped as she put a hand on her chest, "believe that you can, Ms. Williams." Her voice was annoyingly high.

Oh boy, Sarah thought. The woman was flamboyant, well dressed, and thought that Sarah could help. She had to be some sort of agent for a theater in need of a costume maker.

"I am Josie Rosewood. I represent a growing theater in Los Angles. Our old costume maker recently retired. We heard of your extraordinary talents through the," she twirled her hands in the air, "grape-vine and would like to offer you a position." Josie smiled, painted red lips stretching so far they nearly took up half of her face.

People from other playhouses had called her often, asking if she would take a job. However, Sarah always turned them down. She enjoyed living so close to her family and she was fiercely loyal to her own theater. They usually called, and Sarah had never heard of agents coming to houses to offer positions.

"I'm sorry, but I'm happy with my job now. I hope that you can find someone, but that person isn't me. It's Thanksgiving time and I've got to get back to my family." Sarah lied; her pillows didn't count as family.

Sarah began to close the door but was stopped by Josie's pale hand. Josie batted eyelashes thick with mascara and smiled.

"But you're the right one, Ms. Williams. If I can just come inside for a moment, maybe you'll see the possibilities that we can give you." Josie pressed, still smiling.

An unsettling feeling settled in Sarah's stomach. Josie was giving off a bad vibe and Sarah felt the need to shut the door and forget about her.

"Maybe another time. I'm doing family things." Sarah replied, attempting to shut the door again to no avail.

Josie's hand on the door was like iron and her bright smile became forced. "Yes, maybe another time." Her grey eyes flashed darkly and Sarah swore she saw them turn red for a second. "Have a wonderful time with your family." She spat, turning on her heel and marching across the lawn.

A black car was waiting for her and Sarah was able to catch sight of a bald man wearing sunglasses before the vehicle left. Truly frowning now, Sarah shut the door firmly and headed into the kitchen. She wasn't going to be able to get a second of sleep.

Karen was pouring a cup of coffee. "What was that about?" She asked as she passed the mug to Sarah.

"No idea." Sarah sighed as she sat down and took a sip of the bitter drink. She rested her head against the wooden table and traced odd patterns with a finger.

"I thought you were going to sleep. You looked pretty tired when you went upstairs." Karen said, sitting down across from Sarah with a bowl of cereal in her hands.

"I can't sleep now. There's so much to do." Sarah yawned. "Are Jarred and Ellie asleep?"

Karen pointed at the living room with her spoon. "Out like a light. They're on the couch."

"Do you-do you think that this is just some trick?" Sarah asked, raising her head off the table. "I mean-come on-his whole labyrinth is a trick. What if he sent them here to get back at me for winning? I wouldn't put it past him."

"Sarah!" Karen exclaimed, setting down her spoon and pushing her half-empty bowl out of the way. "You wished Toby away to him and-from what I've heard- you're lucky that he gave you a chance to get him back. How can you even think of that?

And those poor children! You saw them! This is not a trick, Sarah. You should know better!" Karen admonished.

"I know. I know. It's just-I don't know- this is just wrong. How could he not see this? I mean he's the king. How can he not see what's happening to his own kids?" Sarah inquired, voice rising.

"Royalty has many duties outside their kingdom." Linda butted in as she entered the kitchen. "It is not unusual for a King not to know of something well hidden. Besides, I thought you wanted to help these children." Linda sat down, looking at Sarah expectantly.

Sarah stared at her coffee, feeling the eyes of both women on her. "I do." She whispered softly. "It's just a lot to handle." She rubbed her hand across her tired eyes.

"If there's one thing I know," Linda smiled at Sarah softly, "you do your best under difficult situations."

"Thanks." Sarah said gratefully, smiling in return. "I'm going to need help, though."

*Ellie*

She waited until the human woman Karen thought she was asleep. Ellie closed her eyes even harder when the Champion came downstairs and spoke to that feminine creature who reeked of evil. After the Elf Queen entered the kitchen and the coast was clear, she slipped out of the warm blanket that Karen had given her. The living room was dark despite the daylight outside the house.

Her feet hit the carpet without a sound and she crept to the wall that separated the front room from the kitchen. She wanted to know what was going on; she hated not knowing.

"..not unusual for a King to not know about something well hidden. Besides, I thought you wanted to help these children." The Elf Queen was saying in a clear voice.

"I do." The Champion's voice was a whisper and she sounded as if she was extremely tired. Hidden in the whisper and the tiredness, Ellie could sense the fiery determination the Champion possessed.

_Not unusual for a King to not know about something well hidden_, the words echoed in her ears. Her mother had sure kept the situation well under wraps. Turning the bruises she had inflicted into the rowdy goblins fault, and pleading with her father to find the fake illness that made Jarred so thin. Jarred was so thin because he hardly ate anything, only the dry sandwiches provided for them. To make matters worse, their mother had gotten nearly all the goblins bogged. Even poor Hoggle, the fairy spraying gatekeeper, had been bogged for supposedly committing a crime against her.

The thought of her friends in the labyrinth sent sharp pang of sadness through Ellie. They had suffered just as much as she and Jarred had at the hands of their mother. Ludo, Sir Didymus, Hoggle, the Fire Gang, and William, the little blue worm; they were all counting on her to finish her quest Ellie had to bring back the Champion so everything would be like her friends had described before the Champion had run the labyrinth. Failure was not an option; she had to do what she'd come here to accomplish.

"...get them back?" The Champion asked, letting out a loud yawn when she finished. Ellie nearly cursed; she had missed the conversation while she was stuck in the clouds.

"We'll discuss that later, honey. Why don't you go upstairs and rest for a bit?" Karen suggested, voice full of so much motherly warmth that the sound made Ellie want Karen's voice to be directed at her.

"I'm too awake to even," she was interrupted by a large yawn. "Actually, I'll think rest for a few minutes." The Champion admitted, her words slurring.

Quickly, Ellie hurried over to the couch and threw herself on the plush cushions. She figured that she was lucky the front room was dark, because no one could see that she was wide awake. As the Champion ascended the steps, Ellie couldn't help but think of what she'd said earlier.

She won't be the one taking us back, Ellie thought, we'll be the one taking her. With that thought on her mind, she slipped into a peaceful slumber.


	3. Jinxed

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Authors Note: Thank you for all the lovely reviews. They gave me that warm fuzzy feeling:)

* * *

A scream sounded throughout the otherwise quiet Williams house.

Sarah started, twisting in her sheets and tumbling to the floor with a loud thud. Tangled in her sheets, she frantically struggled out of the cocoon she had trapped herself in with success. She stumbled down the hall, nearly tripping over a baseball ball bat that was lying in the middle of the hall for some odd reason. Without stopping, she grabbed the bat as she continued running down the hall.

Skipping multiple steps and leaping down the last six steps with inhuman ability, Sarah bounded into the living room with the bat swung back into a threatening position. A wild yell caught in her throat at the sight that awaited her. Behind the couch, Jarred was curled into a small ball, his hands clasped over his ears and his face screwed up in fear. Ellie was standing on the couch, looking oddly human in the clothes Sarah had given her, and was currently in the process of throwing a pillow at the television.

"Stay away!" She screamed, launching another pillow at the screen.

Confused, Sarah turned her gaze to the television. The screen was filled with the face of a gruesome monster that made her want to vomit. Honestly, she had seen some nasty goblins and the creature on T.V made them look like kittens. Averting her eyes from the screen, Sarah spotted the remote abandoned on the floor beside the couch. She stepped by the couch gingerly, avoiding the airborne pillows and diving down to grab the remote.

"Sarah!" Jarred cried, coming out from behind the couch to attach himself to her leg. "Make it go away!"

The power button couldn't turn the television off soon enough and Sarah sighed in relief when the screen went black. Ellie froze with–thankfully–the last pillow in her hands.

"Where did the monster go?" Ellie asked suspiciously, eyes searching the room for any sign of claws or reptilian skin.

"It wasn't real. It's just a movie." Sarah explained reassuringly. "It was just a fake-a puppet."

Still tense, Ellie stepped off the couch with the grace of a dancer. "You're positive it's gone?"

Sarah rolled her eyes. "I'll explain a movie to you later."

Jarred removed himself from Sarah's leg, mouthing 'movie' with his brows scrunched together in confusion. If she ever went to the Underground again, she would make sure they got electricity.

"I want food." Ellie announced, having recovered from the small incident.

"It's in the kitchen but you have to," Ellie zipped past her, "clean up your mess first." She finished with a sigh. Jarred scampered eagerly after his sister.

Sighing, Sarah began putting the pillows back into their proper places. She set the unused bat down near the stairs. Once she finished, she headed into the kitchen to get a breakfast of her own.

"What-are-you-doing?"

Ellie looked from where she stood by the sink, her hand hovering over the handle and a bowl of cereal in her hands. "Getting human breakfast." She answered simply.

"You don't use water." Sarah said slowly, swallowing in the laughter that threatened to escape with difficulty.

Ellie huffed. "Then what do I use?" She asked irritably.

"Milk." Sarah replied, pointing at the fridge with her index finger.

Muttering under her breath, Ellie opened the fridge and juggled her bowl and the carton of milk.

"So you have plumbing but not electricity?" Sarah asked.

Ellie snorted. "We're not barbarians. Of course we have plumbing." Her brow crinkled in confusion. "What's electricity?"

Sarah sighed. "I'll explain it later."

Ellie turned away from her, pouring milk into the bowl.

"Where's everyone?" Sarah asked abruptly upon realizing that no one else had come down to inspect the source of the ruckus.

Ellie shrugged as she set the cereal bowl in front of a waiting Jarred and turned to get one for herself. "I don't know. I heard something from that door over there."

'That door over there' was actually the door to the garage that Robert had attached a few years ago. Sarah then heard the sounds of multiple thuds and scrapes. Curious, she approached the door and inched the wood out of the frame out of habit(they'd had one too many wild animals in their garage.) The first person she saw was Linda, her brown hair pulled back into a ponytail, hunched over an old wooden chest with Toby at her side pulling out various objects and pushing them into unorganized piles.

Sarah opened the door fully to see Karen scolding Sophie, who was brandishing a thin stick wrapped in vines that appeared to be a wand. Robert was standing off to the side with his arms crossed over his chest, his loathing for magic written on his face as he watched his family pull out one magical object after the other.

Sarah stepped into the garage, almost jumping in shock from the feeling of the cold cement floor against her bare feet.

"What's going on?" She asked, peering at the chest's contents. Old leather-bound books, maps, charmed jewelry, cursed treasures, and potions filled the wooden chest. Interesting, Sarah noted.

"We," Linda said as she pulled out an old journal, "are getting prepared." She handed the book to Toby, who put the journal on the top of one of the growing piles.

"What are we getting prepared for?" Sarah questioned, plucking the book off the pile and skimming through the weathered pages.

"Arrival of other Fae." Linda said, setting a small black box with a lock on the ground. "Don't touch that." She said with a look at Sarah.

"Arrival of-there are other Fae coming?" Sarah asked, eyes widening. She clutched the book to her chest out of habit.

"It's possible. I–and other royalty–received a message that Queen Nadia will be visiting each kingdom. Her excuse," Linda added, "is the terms of the old treaty."

Sarah didn't need to know why, the reason for the visit was sitting in the kitchen. "Why her? Why here?" Sarah inquired in confusion.

Linda clucked her tongue disapprovingly. "Because I'm here for one. And we'll work on your Underground knowledge later-she is the Goblin King's mother."

"His mother?" Disbelief was laced in her tone. "This is happening so quickly. Why?" Sarah asked, rubbing her forehead.

"We're lucky." Ellie said from behind her, causing Sarah to turn. "Someone could have looked for us the night we came. My father is powerful. Many Fae are probably already searching for us."

Sarah groaned. "This can't get any worse!"

"Be careful." Linda warned, handing Toby a familiar looking red cloak. "Words have power and you might have just jinxed us all."

* * *

Aboveground:

_The Goblin_

_A mischievous, dwarf like creature that lives in remote areas of the Underground. The goblin is not the brightest of creatures and makes up for lack of smarts in strength. Goblins are remarkably durable, their skin thicker than an ogre's. The main population of goblins is located in the Goblin Kingdom. _

_See Goblin Kingdom and Goblin King for more_ _information_.

Sarah set down _An Encyclopedia to Creatures of the Underground _and rubbed her tired eyes with the back of her hand. The mountain of books beside her looked anything but promising. The Encyclopedia didn't contain anything that she didn't know, but the tome had to be read by someone who could read the ancient language. Unfortunately, Sarah was that someone who could read the language due to her heritage.

She didn't like this situation, she didn't like being afraid that the Goblin King would smash through their protective barriers and throw all of them into a dark oubliette. _A place to put people to forget about them_, Hoggle's voice spoke in her head, sounding just as cross as the real dwarf. She hadn't spoken to him or any of her friends for nearly eleven years; they hadn't answered any of her calls and she had stopped calling altogether after months of waiting to hear from them. To say that she didn't miss them would have a been a lie.

A shrill scream came from downstairs and Sarah heaved a large sigh. She would've sworn that Jarred and Ellie were with Toby and Sophie in the attic. Abandoning the book on the floor, Sarah rose from her bed, brushing imaginary dust off her jeans and t-shirt, and went downstairs.

"Calm down. It's just a..." Sarah trailed off, standing on the last step. The television was off and Jarred and Ellie were nowhere in sight. She felt a cold breeze from the direction of the door and, for a reason she couldn't name, her heart sank a little.

"Sarah!" Karen screamed, voice high with fear.

Sarah turned at the sound of her voice and saw Karen barreling away from the open door. Behind her, slashing thick nails at the protective barrier was a large female ogre in the tattered remains of a dress suit. Blue skinned, red eyes filled with animalistic rage, a mouthful of sharp fangs, two thick horns spiraling out from either side of the ogre's head in a nest of black hair. The beast was something straight out of the darkest of nightmares.

"Give me the children!" The ogre roared, pounding meaty hands against the shield. The voice was deeper than the one that had offered her a job, but Sarah had no doubt in her mind that Josie Rosewood was standing in front of her. If that was even her name, she thought(she guessed that made her a Josie-ogre.)

Karen darted up the steps, grabbed Sarah's hand and attempted to haul her up the steps while doing so. She stayed rooted to the spot, watching Josie-ogre with a mixture of horror and grim determination.

"Go upstairs!" Sarah shouted.

"WE have to go." Karen shouted back, tugging on Sarah's hand, the terror in her voice was tangible.

A sound like breaking glass met Sarah's ears as the wards came down and Josie-ogre charged. Karen let out a terrified shriek and gave a super human attempt to hail Sarah up the stairs, which only pulled her up a few steps. They couldn't have fallen so easily, Sarah thought, they haven't even been up for a day. Only someone more powerful than Linda could have broken the barrier so quickly. He's here, Sarah thought with horror.

Her hands raised on instinct as Josie-ogre descended on them, drool flying from her mouth as she let out another fearsome roar. Just as she reached in a sharply nailed hand to pick them up as easily as one would pick up a doll, a small flash of emerald light blew her back a few feet.

For one small moment, Sarah felt proud of herself. Her magic had worked! Her moment ended abruptly as Josie-ogre sunk her thick nails into the shield Sarah had made, effectively tearing the woven strands of the spell. However, with every tear she inflicted another she had already done healed itself and with each one Sarah felt more and more drained. This was the most magic she had ever performed and she wasn't sure her body could handle the task.

Suddenly, Josie-ogre froze in mid-strike, face twisted into an expression of fury. Sarah dropped her hands, unable to keep the shield going, and prepared herself to run-or scream. Karen still had a death grip on her arm, gripping the limb so tightly that Sarah could practically feel her arm bruising. Josie-ogre did not move; her mouth open and spittle flying, her red eyes blazing, and her claws outstretched in mid-air. She looked as if she was truly frozen. Sarah expected to hear the voice of the Goblin King banishing her to some dark corner in the labyrinth.

"I expected Linora's crazy human family." A slightly amused female voice said from behind them. "Not an ogre."

Sarah whirled around and Karen followed in her example, mouth still hanging open like a fish's. A woman dressed in a tight-fitting black dress that complimented her figure nicely stood with her arms folded over her chest, one elegant brow raised and wearing a smirk that was eerily familiar. Her silky blonde hair was piled up in an intricate up do, the Fae markings above her brown eyes were so green they were nearly black, the dark leather gloves reminded Sarah of someone she'd rather not meet. The sharp toothed smile the woman gave was sharp-edged and sent a shiver of fear down Sarah's spine.

"However, I must say that you just displayed an impressive amount of power for one so young." The woman said, not waiting for Sarah or Karen to speak. "I take it you're Linora's child?"

Linora. Sarah scrambled for a face to attach the name to before realizing that Linora was Linda's true name. The woman continued without an answer.

"My-you look familiar. Have I seen you at a ball?" She asked, regarding Sarah curiously. "The summer solstice, perhaps?"

"I-I haven't been to any balls. I've never met you before." Sarah stuttered, finding her voice. Behind her, Karen's hold on her arm tightened.

A thundering of feet stole the attention and Robert and Linda appeared at the top of the stairs. Linda's glamour had fallen, leaving her in all her sharp-faced, inhuman Fae glory.

"Sarah, what's.." She stopped, eyes falling on the other Fae woman.

"Sarah." The woman said experimentally, tasting the name on her tongue. "Sarah Williams." Recognition gleamed in her eyes. "You're the girl who beat the labyrinth."

The girl who beat the labyrinth, Sarah was really beginning to hate that title.

"Well, aren't you a pretty thing?" The woman said with a smile, but Sarah couldn't tell if her comment was meant to be a compliment or a mockery. "I can see why now," she murmured under her breath, still looking Sarah over skeptically.

"Nadia." Linda called from the top of the steps, eyes as hard as her tone. "Why don't we have this conversation elsewhere?"

Sarah's heart sank; this wasn't going to end well. The mother of the Goblin King was standing across from her; she wanted to hide, something she'd never done or thought of her entire life.

The look of terror must have shown on her face for Queen Nadia smiled sharply. "Yes, champion. I'm the mother of the Goblin King." Sarah could see where he got his intimidation skills from, or more specifically whom.

"And," she continued, "I think we can have our little conversation here." Her voice was as cold as ice. "The princess must know what is going on-especially if she if she is going to be a part of it." She looked at Linda with smug satisfaction.

Be a part of it, Sarah thought numbly. The gears in her head were turning in vain to find an escape from this situation.

"Now," Queen Nadia lifted her chin, fixing her scrutinizing gaze on Sarah. "Let's discuss the disappearance of my grandchildren."


	4. Discussions of a Disappearance

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I own no Labyrinth characters.

* * *

All Sarah could think was that Linda could have been an actress in the human world if she had really left to become one.

"Disappeared?" She exclaimed, a shocked look claiming her sharpened features. "How horrible! Are you sure they aren't just lost?"

Queen Nadia nodded grimly, full mouth thinning into a grim line. "I'm afraid so. We have searched the entire Underground and have not found a trace of them."

If Sarah could guess anything, she would guess that Nadia was buying their story of innocence. She hoped the kids stayed upstairs.

" That's just horrible." Linda replied softly, sincerity shining in her eyes. "But I must ask–why have you come to me?"

Nadia's cold expression betrayed nothing more than the grim look in her mouth and eyes. "I need you to help. More specifically," dark eyes flickered in Sarah's direction, "both of you to help."

"What do you mean?" Sarah stepped forward, finding her courage. "How could you need our help?"

A chuckle escaped Nadia's mouth. "Found your tongue? I was wondering when you would–I've heard about you defeating my son with mere words." Her mouth twisted into a dark sneer and the sight of slightly pointed fangs almost made Sarah lose her courage.

"I'm not sure of where my grandchildren are, but I have a feeling they are not in the Underground. " Nadia began to walk the length of the room, her steps careful and unhurried. "I believe you all know what I'm getting at."

"You want us," Linda cocked an eyebrow, "to help you look for your grand children? What makes you think we will? We are enemies of your son." Linda added.

"You are–and the reason is much better than what was rumored." The amusement in Nadia's eyes baffled Sarah. Here she was asking for help, and she looked like she would care more about a lost penny.

"You don't look like you care very much." Sarah blurted. "You're asking us for help and you, you just," she searched for the right words, "you don't care! How can you expect us to help you?"

Nadia bared her teeth. "I expect nothing. I am asking you–as your queen to help yourselves and me."

"Ourselves? How are we helping ourselves?" Sarah questioned boldly. "Sure we could help you. Sure we could find your grandchildren. But the only person it'll help is you."

"Quite the contrary, Sarah." Nadia made her name sound like a dark curse. "While it will help me, you'd be surprised to find how many others would be helped." She spat.

The anger in her eyes only kindled the fire burning in Sarah. She felt different; like she was the brash, brazen girl who had run the labyrinth. She liked it.

Nadia continued. "My son and his wife are running themselves ragged searching for them. The children can't survive very long in the Aboveground and have to be returned immediately. You can expect the entire Underground to be turned," her voice rose with every word, "upside by my son in his efforts to find his children. And of course," she said quietly, "there's you and your family."

"My son may not be able to touch you, but he can get to your family. He can put them in oubliettes. Put them in dungeons."

_So the words worked. _

Behind them, Karen made a strangled sound in the back of her throat. Robert and Linda didn't make a sound.

"And you'll be safe–knowing fully well what pain your loved ones are going through. All because you wouldn't help find two children." She cocked her head to the side, smirking. "Do you really think that he won't come looking for his children here? Linora's his enemy and you're the human girl who beat his labyrinth. Its going to happen at some point."

Not so soon, the little voice in the back of Sarah's mind insisted. "How long do the kids have?" Was what came out of her mouth instead.

"Without protection from family they barely have four days. They need to return to the Underground as soon as possible because of their age." At Sarah's quizzical expression, she added. "Children in the Underground are bound to the magic of the land–especially the labyrinth."

_This all sounds like some fantasy novel_. Sarah bit her lip, looking away from Nadia. Less than four days to return them.

"We will help you." Linda finally said.

Nadia nodded in satisfaction. "I must return to the Underground. I need to overlook the search. Hopefully, I will see both of you soon."

_Hopefully not_. Sarah only nodded, using all the will she had to keep her face straight. If Nadia stayed for one more second, she wasn't sure if she would be able to hold her tongue.

Nadia vanished in smoke. Literally. She dissolved into a smoky, grainy image of herself before vanishing out the open door with a bizarre rush of wind.

Sarah blinked once, then twice before she actually realized that Nadia was gone. What had she been expecting? The dramatic exit, the crack of lightning and thunder, the shower of glitter: the Goblin King's exit.

"We're going." Linda said firmly. "Get Jarred and Ellie, Sarah. I'll grab the chest."

"Wait a second." Robert protested. "I'm not dragging my family down there. It's too dangerous."

"It's too dangerous to stay here." Linda snapped. "HE can come here and take you away to use you. I can protect you in the Underground. He can't come into my kingdom. It's our only choice."

"But," Robert began, the lawyer in him taking over.

"She's right, Robert." Karen interrupted, leaving Sarah and going to stand beside him. "You heard what that Queen said. It's too dangerous here."

"No." Robert said, eyes flitting around the room for a solution. "There has to be another way to solve this. We could put up another shield. We could just give them back. Save the trouble."

_We won't_. Sarah opened her mouth to speak.

"No we won't. It could just make it worse." Karen placed a placating hand on Robert's arm. "We've got to go with Linda. We'll be safe with her."

For a long moment Sarah thought her father decline.

He swallowed and tore his eyes away from Karen. "When do we leave?"

Sarah and Linda wore identical relieved smiles. _Thank the gods and goddesses._

"Tonight."

* * *

Underground:

"And you have not seen them? You haven't heard of them?"

"Not fer a while, no." Hoggle grunted, his back to the Goblin King. "Haven't seen 'em since last week."

He hobbled away, and let out a exclamation of satisfaction as he struck another fairy.

"You're absolutely positive." The Goblin King pressed, his boots crunching against the dry sand.

"Yeah." Hoggle stopped, turning to face the tall figure of the Goblin King. "What's this about? They get inta trouble?"

The Goblin King sneered at the dwarf's show of bravery. "It happens to be none of your concern."

"Why're ya asking me then?" Hoggle asked, turning back to his job.

"I have to check everywhere." The Goblin King hissed angrily, losing his temper. He took a deep breath, pinching the bridge of his nose to calm himself.

"Just keep your eyes open." He said. "And if I find out that you know where my children are, then you'll be put in the darkest, deepest oubliette for the rest of your pathetic life." He practically growled. He turned to the gate of the labyrinth.

Hoggle paled and nodded in understanding. He was glad his majesty couldn't read minds...

The Goblin King turned back to him. On the other hand, his majesty was mysterious even for a Fae. He could have unknown abilities.

"If you see the champion." The word was uttered like a vile poison. "Make sure to let her know that her presence is requested in my castle. Be sure to tell her that her life will be very difficult if she doesn't show, Hogbrain."

"Hoggle." He points out without hesitation.

The Goblin King waves a gloved hand. "I'll call you what I wish. I'm your king and make sure to not forget that."

When he was gone, Hoggle shook his head. What had Ellie and Jarred gotten themselves into?

* * *

She slipped away while he was out searching for the little brats he called children. He was such a fool and she was a grand actress, pretending that she cared for their safety. He was away often and the brats were too afraid of her to speak for themselves when he came home.

She went down into the lower parts of the castle, past the dungeons and past the treasures until she reached the small well she had constructed right under his nose. This part of the castle was uninhabited and not even the stupidest of the goblins dared to come this far into the palace. Drawing out a short knife from the folds of her elaborate gown, she pricked her finger and let a drop of silver blood fall into the dark water. She waited, tucking the knife back in her dress and watching the water expectantly. The liquid began to swirl, mixing with the black water until the water was a dirty silver.

She bowed her head in acknowledgement as the room filled with the presence of an ancient being. "Master." She said, voice resounding off the damp walls.

The liquid churned. "Aleera." The deep voice of her master called, using the water to project his voice. "Do you have the children?"

"No master." Aleera replied quickly, eager to relay the events to her leader.

"Then why have you come? You can grab the children at any moment when he is gone. Why are they not with you?" The master said aloud, sounding neither happy nor angry.

"I can not just take them, master. The ritual takes many hours and the King knows when they are in great pain. We have to strip him of his powers before we can get the children." Aleera explained hurriedly, hovering over the well.

"They-the children-are gone." Aleera added.

"Gone?" His voice boomed angrily. "How can they be gone? Your one job was to make sure they stayed in the kingdom."

In her eagerness to please him, she did not notice the rage in his tone. "But now that they are out of the way," she shook her head and laughed softly. "Think of what we can accomplish. All we have to do is find the labyrinth's heart and I'm so close to finding it-I can feel it."

The ancient magic of her master wrapped around her abruptly, pressing against her throat so she couldn't breathe. She gasped like a fish out of water.

"We needed the children. They are the key to finishing the ritual." The master boomed. "Perhaps," he continued, his voice brimming with venom, "I should send another. It would be rather easy to end you."

Aleera gasped wildly. "I c-can do it." She managed.

"Can you?" He asked.

A large, body-less sigh echoed through the room and Aleera crumbled to the floor like a rag doll. She clutched her burning throat and sucked in as much air as she could.

"You have one more chance. Bring the children and the heart to me." He ordered. "And if you fail-well, it's not going to be a pretty picture." His voice was tinged with dark amusement. He began to laugh and Aleera knew she had been dismissed.

Aleera clambered to her feet and nearly ran from the room, his dark laughter following her until she reached the steps. She would not fail him.

* * *

A/N: What do you think?

I'm pretty satisfied with this chapter, even if I think it's a bit rushed. I'm so excited to get into the Underground. And just in case anyone was confused, the italics were Sarah's thoughts.

Is anyone ready for Christmas? Anyone? Anyway, 'till next time. Merry Christmas.


	5. Welcome to the Underground

Disclaimer: I do not own the Labyrinth. (Sadly)

* * *

"Well I'm not going to some Elf kingdom. Jared and I are going to stay here." Ellie protested stubbornly, arms crossed over her chest.

"You sure aren't going to stay here. It's either my kingdom or I'll send you to your father." Linda countered.

"If you're going to send us somewhere then send us to the labyrinth. She'll make sure our father doesn't know we're there." Ellie said.

"The labyrinth's a girl?...Wait–the labyrinth's alive?" Toby exclaimed, eyes wide.

Ellie rolled her eyes. "Of course she is, dimwit. What did you think? That she was just stone?"

"Uhh...isn't that what a labyrinth is, miss. know–it–all?" Toby replied, temper getting the best of him.

"Do you humans know anything?" Ellie cried angrily. "And you better watch your tongue." She added.

Uh oh. Sarah watched the two warily. In her arms, Sophie squirmed slightly to watch the pair squabble.

"Watch my tongue? I can't watch it since it's in my mouth, smart one." Toby snapped back, looking ready to blow a fuse.

This is just what we need, Sarah thought, fighting teens. She rubbed her forehead and sighed. She turned to Linda, who was watching the exchange with a slightly amused expression. "I think we're ready."

Linda looked over everyone in the room. Karen and Robert were fussing over the bags they'd packed and Jarred stood behind Ellie, watching the conversation between her and Toby with a confused gaze. The ogre had been taken care of by Linda, who'd waved her hand at the hulking beast, causing the ogre to disappear and had only grinned mischievously when they'd questioned her where she'd sent it.

She frowned. "I'm not bringing those bags." She told Sarah with a sense of finality. "I'll be able to provide anything for all of you. The idea of it–a queen is supposed to provide for her guests." She scoffed at the bags, shaking her head. "And I think you're right. It would be best for us to go now before they truly start to fight." She added.

She opened her mouth to tell everyone, but Sarah stopped her. "Just get us down there before they really start at it." Sarah said with a nod at Toby and Ellie.

Linda nodded, giving the room another once over before she set to work. She reached into her jean pocket and produced a small wooden ball. She flashed Sarah a sly smile. "Fastest way of transportation." She said with a wink. Sarah thought the sphere almost looked familiar. A flicker of an old memory passed before her eyes, like the shuddering heart of a flame, and she saw a clear crystal offered to her from a gloved hand. Her eyes widened.

Linda raised the trinket above her head and slammed it to the ground before Sarah could say a word.

The wood splintered on impact, flying out in a mini–explosion. Sharp slices of wood soared across the room, and Sarah was not surprised that when the splinters rained down on her and met her skin she didn't feel the broken wood. Then the ground disappeared from underneath her feet–catching her by surprise.

She barely held in a cry, clutching a confused Sophie to her chest protectively and shutting her eyes tightly. Muted cries reached her ears, but she didn't dare to open her mouth. Though she usually was a brave girl, she wasn't foolish enough to test the thinnest boundaries of magic. Power, thick as tar, settled over her skin like a warm blanket. Sarah tensed at the contact, this magic was ancient, far older than she was and different from anything she'd ever encountered–it couldn't be Linda's.

_Open your eyes, Champion_. Sarah's eyes snapped open at the wizened female voice. The voice had spoken with startling clarity, sounding as if the words had come from all around her. Then she noticed her surroundings and was momentarily shocked enough to forget the woman's voice.

All around her, bright splatters of color swirled in an unorthodox painting. Blues, yellows, and greens so bright they made Sarah's eyes hurt danced before her in something of a chase. Lazy oranges stretched until they broke and she was reminded of the old lava lamp hidden in the back of her closet. The colors moved past her, swerving when she was in their path and only coming within arms length.

_I am glad to see that you have finally returned._ Sarah started at the return of the voice and searched the room-could this be called a room?- for any sign of the woman. She was on-edge, but she also curious. All she could see were the vivid colors moving around her in their own little world. There was no sign of a woman in the room with her, actually there was no sign of anyone in the room besides her and Sophie.

Sarah's eyes narrowed. Where had everyone else gone?

_Your family is being transported to the Underground, you'll both be returned soon. I had to be the first to properly welcome you to the Underground._

Sarah strained her eyes in a fruitless search for the owner of the voice. "Look, I don't know who you are but I want to be returned to my family. Right. Now."

_You will be, Champion, have no doubt in that. I merely wanted to greet you after so long._

After so long? "I think you have the wrong person, I've never met you before." Sarah replied, still eyeing her surroundings warily.

_But we have met, dear Champion._

The thin line Sarah had between her patience and anger was snapping. "Stop calling me that." She snapped furiously. "Let me and my sister go."

_It is better to call you by your title than your given name. Especially in the Underground and in the Terminals–names have more power here than they do Above._

_Tread lightly. Some will not allow you to speak in such a manner._

"Terminals? What do you mean by that? And I can say whatever I want."

_Have your forgotten your lesson so soon? Words have power and you must be careful when using that power. Anything can happen if you have a slip of the tongue_.

Sarah bit the inside of her cheek to calm herself. "What do you mean by Terminals?" She repeated.

_I mean what I say. Ask what you want to know_.

Sarah bit back a growl. "What kind of Terminal am I in?"

_This is one of three Terminals made to aid Abovegrounders and Undergrounders._

It seemed that the woman was only going to give what was asked. Sarah set her jaw determinedly–she could work with that. "Name the three Terminals."

_So demanding. That won't get you very far, Champion_.

Sarah's eyes darkened at the comment.

_There is Life, Death, and the Divide. _

"What Terminal am I in?"

_The Divide._

"What's the Divide? How does it help?

_The Divide is the barrier between the Aboveground and the Underground. It only allows those permitted by higher powers to travel between them. Without it, humans and magical_ _creatures would_ _be at war with one another._

"What about my family?" Sarah questioned. "Do they have permission?"

_Linora is allowed to bring companions with her when she travels. She is one of the few that can go from the Above to the Below._

"Oh." Good; Sarah let out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. Her family would be able get through the Terminal, though she still wasn't sure what it was. Sarah suddenly realized that she had never been here before, yet she had been to the Underground. "Why have I never seen this place before? I've been to the Underground but I've never seen this Terminal."

_The trip through the Divide is often too quick for most to notice. Only a few are given the privilege to see the Divide. When you made your first trip to me there was no reason to stop you._

"To you?" Sarah echoed. "Who are you?"

_It is quite obvious if you think about it, Champion_.

Sarah frowned. She had only been to the Underground once to run the labyrinth to get back Toby. Unless the crystal ballroom escapade counted as leaving the labyrinth, she had never left the labyrinth's borders. She also doubted that the Underground was a living creature or a woman for that matter. Frowning even deeper, Sarah racked her brain and came up with nothing.

Of course she is, dimwit. What did you think? That she was just stone? Ellie's irritated voice suddenly entered her mind. Sarah's eyes widened in shock and slight embarrassment. How could she have not remembered what Toby and Ellie had been fighting about or how the labyrinth had been constantly changing paths during her run? How could she be so unobservant?

"You're the labyrinth." Sarah accused softly.

_Well done, Champion. It is good to know that some of your lessons are still remembered._

_I am sad to say that I must leave you so soon, but my disappearance will be noticed and you'll be back soon enough._

"What–" Sarah began, brow furrowed.

_Listen closely to what I say and don't interrupt because this is important. Only speak of our meeting to those you trust greatly. When the time comes, you will be in a dire position and I will offer you a deal. The choice is yours, it always has been. But remember this, sacrifices always have to be made to keep everything in balance._

Was everything in the Underground so vague? Sarah sighed in exasperation and shifted Sophie slightly to remain comfortable.

_By the way, welcome to the Underground_.

"What?" The last thing Sarah heard was a soft chuckle before the Divide vanished and she felt solid ground under her feet once more.

In a whirlwind of motion that smelled faintly of leaves and dirt, Sarah found herself back with her family and their visitors in the middle of what appeared to be a large throne room. Forest green curtains framed a wooden high–backed throne, a thick carpet stretched from a great doorway to the seat, wooden pillars supporting the ceiling lined the rug. Radiant clusters of light and diamonds covered the high ceiling in a depiction of the stars that left Sarah speechless and pushed the conundrum named the labyrinth away from the front of her mind. As she marveled at the ceiling, a few of the small lights moved, weaving in an intricate dance that left great streaks of what appeared to be glitter in their wake. She wondered if it truly was just a decoration.

"Would you all like a tour? Or would you rather stand here and stare at my ceiling?" Linda asked, amused.

"Where are we?" Ellie demanded more than asked, eyes fixed determinedly on her.

Her question was ignored by Linda, much to the Fae girl's annoyance.

"It's so pretty." Sophie whispered in awe from Sarah's arms, gazing up at the masterpiece. "What are they?"

"Stars." Linda answered.

"My daddy said the stars don't move in the sky." Jared said, eyes squinted to see the ceiling.

"He has no one to move them for. Besides, these are my stars." Linda replied softly. "They do what they please."

"Oh." The breathy whisper from Sarah's parted lips was louder than intended in the silence.

"Where are our bags? They were with us before." Robert frowned at the spot at his feet where the old suitcases would have been, not bothering to look at the ceiling.

Linda turned, waving a dismissive hand over her head. "Before not now." She replied vaguely, beginning to ascend the small set of stairs leading to the throne.

Sarah could tell what little restraint her father had was snapping. He didn't let it show though; what the Williams children had dubbed as his 'lawyer face' was locked in place, changing his usually warm features into stone cold versions of themselves.

"And where are our bags now?" Robert questioned calmly.

Sarah briefly wondered if anyone else could see the storm of rage brewing underneath the emotionless armor he wore. Only Karen, she decided, for no one else showed any sign to have noticed.

"Back at your house of course. It's where they belong." Linda remarked off handedly, not bothering to turn around and face him.

As she walked, the carefully constructed glamour she had worn in the Above fell away layer after layer. First was her hair: previously just brushing her shoulders and curled slightly at the ends. In the few seconds it took for Sarah to blink, Linda's hair had turned into a dark mane tumbling past her waist. Curls, free and unbidden, bounced against her back as she walked and twisted and trailed behind her in the air. The second change was in her skin. Sarah couldn't help but stare wide–eyed as skin darkened by days and afternoons spent in the sun turned creamy white and as unblemished as porcelain. Lastly, her regular jeans and shirt melted away and was replaced by a dark green dress.

"Now that's impressive." Toby whispered and Sarah gave a nod of agreement.

"Linda, the point of our bags being packed was to bring them with us. They weren't supposed to stay at our house." Robert argued, hardly fazed by the transformation.

"Then I guess you shouldn't have packed them should you? Did you really think I would let you lug all that down here? I have more than enough to provide for all of you. " Linda replied, sitting in the throne with an extravagant twirl of her skirts.

Despite herself, Sarah's mind wandered. Should I tell them about the Divide or whatever it was, Sarah wondered. Only tell those who you trust greatly; she trusted all of them but what the labyrinth had told her seemed important.

Gods and goddesses, I'm listening to a maze. Sarah scoffed softly and shook her head. A magical maze, her inner voice noted.

"See! Sarah agrees with me, don't you Sarah?" Linda suddenly said, causing Sarah to freeze.

Oh...

Robert whirled on her, his 'lawyer face' washed away and his anger clearly displayed.

...Crap.

"Um–what do I agree with you on exactly?" Sarah asked, trying to ignore her father's gaze.

"That I can provide for all of you and packing luggage is useless."

Be careful. "Well, I guess it's fine since you practically rule here but you should have asked first." She replied slowly.

"See? She more or less agrees with me."

Robert fumed. "If we had wanted to leave our bags behind we wouldn't have packed them. Bring them down now."

"I don't think I will." Linda drawled, smiling slyly. "Transporting so many people can be so...draining. Your luggage will have to stay where it belongs."

"I want my brother and I out of the Elf Kingdom. " Ellie suddenly declared, successfully interrupting what could have turned into a nasty fight.

Linda turned her attention to the Fae girl. "If you hadn't heard me before, I'm drained from bringing you all to my kingdom. As far as I'm concerned, you all are staying here until this is all sorted out. And don't even try to transport out of here on your own, you won't be able to get past my walls."

"My grandmother was able to get past your barriers." Ellie sneered. "What makes you think that I can't?"

"For one, your grandmother is centuries older than you and has far more experience and power. Also, my ancestors put more thought into protecting their land than creating a labyrinth that is as unpredictable as the Fae. We have created an impenetrable barrier to protect our land since we separated into kingdoms. Power from each monarch has been put into the barrier to enforce its power. It's far more than just my power that has put into our barrier." Linda returned the glare she received evenly. "No one can enter or leave without my consent."

Ellie eyes were dark with anger by the time Linda had finished speaking and even Jarred was frowning slightly.

"So we're all stuck here?" Sarah concluded.

"Come now. There's no need to sound so down about it, my kingdom has many surprises. I'm sure you all will find something to pass the time while I try to sort out this problem without starting a war." Linda's sly smile slipped for a brief second to allow a small genuine smile to flicker across her face before disappearing.

"Before you can begin to explore my kingdom; however, you'll have to deal with my subjects. It's been quite some time since we've had anyone new in our lands, human eyes haven't seen our lands for centuries. And some of my subjects are–to put it lightly–a bit excitable."

"Your subjects? You mean the elves?" Karen inquired curiously, standing close to a now silent Robert.

"I'm not called the Elf Queen for nothing." Linda replied.

Sarah mulled over that tidbit of forgotten information. She had honestly never wondered about Linda's subjects or the elves in general. She imagined small, impish creatures with sharp ears and pointed smiles or tall, graceful beings with shoulder length hair. Or would they be different from what they'd been pictures as? Sarah couldn't decide how the elves would look.

Before anyone else could say a word, one of the tall wooden doors at the end of the long room creaked open. A small, misshapen, yellow–faced head poked around the door's edge. The creature was small, barely any larger than Sophie with slicked back white hair and gnarled green hands. Dark eyes regarded them with caution and the creature began to slowly inch out of the doorway.

"Healer Cham, it's lovely to see you again." Linda called out and gestured at the creature with her hand before it could leave. "I was just about to send for you, come in."

Healer Cham slipped through the door and Sarah couldn't help but stare in slight shock and amazement. Long white petals she had mistaken for hair were smoothed against Healer Cham's scalp and neck, completely encircling the creature's head. Healer Cham was green-skinned, save for the yellowing coloring of the creature's head, and small leaves protruded from the skin on its arms. Sarah recognized what the creature was immediately. It was a walking chamomile plant.

"Sarah, I'd like you to meet to meet Healer Cham. She's one of my best healers and she'll be teaching you how to heal and make elf medicine." Linda said.

Healer Cham regarded Sarah curiously. "It's nice to finally meet you, princess." She said, voice soft. "Welcome to the Underground."

Princess; Sarah felt the long-buried fifteen year old girl in her squeal at the title. At the moment however, she'd rather be called Sarah or even Champion. Sarah couldn't help what came out of her mouth next.

"You can't be serious."

* * *

A/N: So what do you think?

I couldn't resist adding a few of my own creations to the mix. I have no idea where the Terminal came from, but I really wanted Sarah to meet the labyrinth and suddenly...the Terminals were there. I'd had the idea to make a healer or doctor a plant and I just couldn't resist it when I found the right plant. And the only explanation I have for Toby is...well, the only one I can come up with is he's a teenager and their moods can change in a nano–second.

Also, I want to say thank you for the wonderful reviews. I really appreciate everyone's support for this story. I probably would've abandoned this story without all the support. So thank you!:) Anyways, see you all next time:)


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